Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
7
Neighborhood Strolls
T
he best way to get a feel for Chicago
is to stroll its streets. Every block brings
interesting window-shopping, people-
watching, or snippets of conversation
that are sure to keep you and the wee
ones entertained. The orderly configu-
ration of Chicago's streets and the
excellent public transportation system
make walking a breeze—when you get
tired, you can hop on a bus or the El
without having to veer too far off your
course.
This chapter provides brief walks
that will give you a snapshot of the
city's most frequented neighborhoods.
1 Near North/Magnificent Mile
North Michigan Avenue is known as the Magnificent Mile, from the bridge
spanning the Chicago River on the south end to Oak Street on the northern tip.
Many of the city's best hotels, shops, and restaurants are to be found on and
around elegant Michigan Avenue. But never fear: Michigan Avenue offers excel-
lent family shopping, too. Scattered among the shops owned by Gucci, Salva-
tore Ferragamo, and Cartier are more kid-friendly stops such as American Girl
Place and Niketown. You and your kids will feel right at home making your way
up this storied avenue. Strolling the entire mile will take you half a day, since
you'll want to stop frequently. Of course, if you're determined to avoid the
shops, you can do it in less than an hour—but who'd want to?
Start at the
Riverwalk
that goes along the north side of the Chicago River. Walk
down the steps that lead off the Michigan Avenue Bridge. You can walk for a short
distance and see the plaza of the NBC Tower, as well as some of the newest con-
dominium and town house developments along the river. Backtrack and continue
north on Michigan Avenue. You'll run right into the
Chicago Tribune Tower.
The tower is notable for its signature array of stones jutting out from the exterior.
The collection was started shortly after
the building's completion in 1925 by the
newspaper's notoriously despotic pub-
lisher Robert R. McCormick, who
gathered them during his world travels.
Tribune
correspondents then began
supplying stone souvenirs encountered
on assignment. Each one now bears the
name of the structure and country
whence it came. There are 138 stones in all, including chunks and shards from the
Great Wall of China, the Taj Mahal, the White House, the Arc de Triomphe, the
Berlin Wall, the Roman Colosseum, London's Houses of Parliament, the Great
Pyramid of Cheops in Giza, Egypt, and the original tomb of Abraham Lincoln in
Springfield. Send your kids on a scavenger hunt to see how many they can find.
Hint:
Inside the
Tribune
's lobby, there's a brochure telling you where they are.
Chicago Neighborhoods
Turn to chapter 3 for more
descriptions of Chicago neigh-
borhoods. Also see p. 53 for a
map of the neighborhoods.
